Vaani urges daily eco choices

Bollywood actress Vaani Kapoor talks about mindful living at the IAA Olive Crown Awards, urging people to make everyday eco-friendly choices

Ria Sharma

Bollywood actress Vaani Kapoor recently spoke about the importance of mindful living and sustainable habits during the 16th Annual Olive Crown Awards held at Taj Lands End in Mumbai. Hosted by the International Advertising Association India Chapter, the prestigious event brought together leaders from the creative and corporate industries to celebrate impactful communication around sustainability.

During the evening, Vaani participated in an engaging conversation on mindful living with Neeraj Roy. Roy, who also serves as the past president of the IAA India Chapter, asked the actress what motivated her to become more conscious about environmental issues and how she uses her position to contribute to the cause.

Sharing her perspective, Vaani stated that sustainability begins with small everyday habits rather than grand gestures.

“I am not going to claim I’ve figured it all out. I’ll be very honest and frank. Nothing about it is very dramatic for me, but it’s the everyday choices that you make. It’s about being less thoughtless and more mindful, which I think we all can incorporate in our lives. It’s not such a hectic thing,” she said.

The actress added that awareness of simple actions can collectively lead to meaningful change over time. “If you’re just more aware of simple things, which might seem very basic but they accumulate and become deeply meaningful, eventually, because we are all here collectively trying to build an environment and a quality of life that future generations are going to also experience with us. So, what’s truly important is to be mindful.”

The actress also spoke about how small reminders in daily life help build sustainable habits. “There are times when on my mind, I’ll be like, ‘Oh my God, I forgot to switch off my fan’ or ‘I forgot to switch off the appliance’. So, something like that... just keeping those small little notes in your mind, they become your habit. And once they are kind of a part of your very being and, you know, part of your system, everyday functioning, then it doesn’t feel like a chore. It doesn’t feel like an extra effort that you’re putting in,” Vaani stated.

She further stressed the importance of responsible consumption and respect for shared spaces. “Also, you don’t treat public spaces as disposable. I try, at least, to reuse before replace anything and just to be more mindful when it comes to consumption, be it food, be it clothing, be it energy.”

At the event, Abhishek Karnani, President, IAA India Chapter, highlighted the role of creative industries in driving change. He said, “Tonight should translate into a tangible idea that’s powerful. The awards prove that our industry is serious about showing the world that what’s good, is good for business. They prove that creativity is not just about selling - it is about shaping behaviour, influencing culture, and inspiring change. Because communication is power. And when used right, it can move millions. The Olive Crown Awards are that silver lining. A collective statement that we will fight back. That we will leave behind something better, something pristine for the generations that follow.”

Youth leader Aditya Thackeray also addressed the gathering, urging industry leaders to hold decision-makers accountable when it comes to environmental protection. “I am here as a young citizen who’s asking you to question us and push us to do better. Make saving the environment cool again; push us as politicians towards doing better things for our planet. Hold us accountable.”